Apparatus for treating ores



C. CORNWELL.

APPARATUS FOR TREATING GRES.

APPLICATION F1LED1UNE30,1915. RENEWED s1P1124. 1917.

l ,3 l 6,769 Patented Sept. 23, 1919.

PATENT onirica.

CARL CORNWELLDF BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA.

APPARATUS FOR TBEATING' GRES.

Application led June 30, 1915, Serial No. 37,307.

To al? 'whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL CORNWELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Berkeley, in the county of Alameda and State ofCalifornia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Treating Ores, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the electrolytic reduction of ores; and has for its object to accomplish this in a simplified and improved manner.

The electrolytic process of extracting values from their ores as heretofore carried on entails considerable expense and time, inasmuch as expensive and complicated apparatus are employed which consume an excessive amount of current and require a considerable period of time to reduce a comparatively small quantity of ore. This is due chiefly to the fact that in all prior devices the dissolving action of the acids and gases liberated from the solution have not been taken advantage of to assist in the reduction of the ore. To benefit from the dissolving action of these gases and acids, it is necessary that the positive or anode plate be disposed in a horizontal position at the bottom of the solution in or-l der that the ore may be kept in Close relation thereto and the gases and acids liberated at this plate may attack the ore. Wherever in pri'ordevices the electrodes have been horizontally disposed Ithe positive plate is invariably placed at the top and the liberated gases and acids pass off into the atmosphere or remain in the solution without attacking the ore in any way. When it is considered that chlorin and other gases liberated at the positive plate and many of the acids present at this plate have a solvent effect upon the ore, it will be seen that-prior devices have been operating at a loss of efficiency and that by arranging the positive plate at the bottom much of the dissolving action will be chemical rather than electrol tic.

yAnother' contributing factor to the inefficiency of prior devices is that they either operate on separate batches of pulp, thus necessitating a slow and laborious treatment, or when capable of continuous treatment .they lack entirely any means to thoroughly agitate and distribute the pulp so that all parts thereof will be ex osed equally to the electrolytic action of t e current. In the Specieation of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 23, 1919. Renewed September 24, 1917. Serial No. 193,017.

present invention I have provided simple and eflicient means in connection with a continuous treatment apparatus for the agitation and distribution of the pulp in the tank so that it is sure to be exposed to the action of the current.

The invention consists of the parts and the construction and combination of parts as hereinafter more fully described 'and claimed, having reference to the accompanying drawings, in whic Figure l is a plan view of the apparatus employed, with the cover and cathode plate removed.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a cross section of a portion of the electrolytic cell.

A indicates in general a shallow box`or container constructed of glass, porcelain, rubber, wood, or like material, which will not be liable to the deteriorating action of an electrolytie solution. Y

The bottom of the box is coverebwith a carbon plate 2, which is connected with the positive side of a suitable source of electric current supply (not here shown) and the cover section 3 of the box is also provided with a carbon plate 4 which is connected with the negative Side. The box being filled with an electrolytic solution will permit the current to pass from one plate to the other, causing the pulp passed through the box and solution contained therein to be acted on by the solution and the current assing therethrough. The interior of the 0X is referably provided with alternating baiile p ates 5, so arranged as to give a long course for the pulp passing throughgthe pulp being moved by means of a plurality of worm screw conveyers 6, all of which are driven in unison from the source of power supply (not here shown) by means of intermeshing gears 7. A

For the purpose of delivering a'uniform quantity of pulp to the first conveyer,'indi cated at 6a, a feeding device 8 has been provided. This consists of a chain 9 passing through the bottom of a hopper 10, said chain being operated by means of an adjustable pawl and ratchet operated from a crank shaft 11. The intermittent movement of the chain passing through the bottom of the hopper pulls thedesired quantity of pulp out from the hopper and delivers it directly to the first conveyer 6a. The pulp in this manner passes from one conveyer into the other and is finally discharged from the last conveyer into a settling box, which is divided into three chambers 12, 13 and 14. The pulp in ysuspension entering the yfirst chamber 12 is permitted to settle, while the solution passes through perforations 15 into chamber 13; then through perforations 16 in chamber 14, from where it may be returned to the main treatment container, by means of a circulating device, to be used over and over again. Y

The pulp settled in chamber A which has been subjected to the electro-chemical action while passing through the container A is now in condition to be further treated. For instance, if the pulp contains free gold and silver, it will only be necessary to amalgamate by any4 usual method. If any metal in the ore treated is of such a nature as to require dissolving, by the electrolytic solution, it will be possible to precipitate the metal in chamber 14 before the solution is again returned for use, said precipitation being accomplished by the employment of chemicals or treatment most suitable for the particular ore under operation.

While the present form of apparatus shown and described has been used and successfully operated, I Wish it understood that any other suitable form of apparatus may be employed which is capable of treating the ore in a manner similar to that just described. The present form of apparatus is simple and substantial and easily operated and permits a continuous treatment in contradistinction to batch treatment.

From actual practice and operation it has been found that the positive and negative plates employed should be constructed from carbon, graphite, or any other electrical conducting-material which will not be subject to destruction by the action of the solution or electrolyte employed, and it has also been found'that the positive plate should preferably be placed beneath the pulp; in other words, in a position where the pulp is permitted to pass over the surface of the positive plate. Gases are generated by the passage of the current through the solution and will in this manner pass directly through the body of pulp, thus accom lishing the desired result in the most e cient manner. The conveyers employed not only feed the pulp over the positive electrode or plate but also prevent the formation of chimneys through which the gas might escape without adecting the pulp. The constant movement of the pulp, however, prevents chimney formations at any point.

For the treatment of a great variety of ores, it has been found that a salt water solution is very desirable. Other solutions may, however, be employed, for instance, sulfuric acid for copper, sal ammoniac for lead ores, and ammonia solution for silver or copper.

on and the conveyers are put in operation.

The electrolytic action of the current will dissolve the ore, the values going to the cathode and the sludge or impurities going to the anode plate. The acids and gases are liberated at the anode plate, and since the pulp is in intimate relation therewith, these gases and acids will act chemically upon the ore to dissolve the same. The action of the conveyers will keep the pulp well agitated, thus allowing the4 electrolytic action of the current to reach all arts, and the pulp will be slowly and even y fed through the cell so that when it reaches the discharge end the values will have been separated therefrom and deposited upon the cathode plate and the sludge and impurities only will be discharged. The electrolytic solution discharged with .the sludge can be saved for rey use.

The device is capable of continuous operation and need be stopped only when a sufcient quantity of metal has been deposited upon the cathode plate to require removal. The removal of the deposited metals may be accomplished in any suitable manner. 'Ihe electrolytic solution can be renewed and strengthened from time to time while the device is in operation. When the current is turned oli' for any reason the cathode plate should be immediately removed from the so lution in order to prevent the attacking of the deposited values upon the cathode by the presence of local galvanic currents.

v The arrangement of the anode plate at the bottom of the tank is an important part of the process inasmuch as the chlorin and other gases and acids liberated from the solution will then act in conjunction with the electric current and dissolve the ore. The cathode plate may be. of any suitable metal `and varied to suit the particular ore under treatment. For instance, an iron plate is preferable where copper ore is being treated. The values from the orel are deposited, not

lated, on thecathode generally in crystaliized form. Direct current only should be used for this process and the electrodes should be as close together as is mechanically possible in order that the volta e required to pass the necessary current t rough the pulp may be made as low as' possible. By the use of the described process and apparatus the metal is transferred from the pulp to the-solution and from the solution to the cathode plate all in one operation.

Various changes in the construction and arrangement of the several parts herein shown and described, may be employed without departing from the spirit of my invention as disclosed in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. An .apparatus for electrically treating ore pulp, comprising shallow inclosed containers having parallel partitions with connecting passages alternating at opposite ends, horizontal spiral conveyers turnable in each compartment, said compartments having carbon top and bottom plates, and electric current conductors, and means to supply and discharge the pulp at opposite ends ofthe compartments.

2. An apparatus of the character described, including a series of parallel horizontal compartments connected alternately at opposite ends and having the tops and bottoms composed of electric conducting material, and means to pass electric currents therethrough, spiral conveyers journaled in the compartments, and gear connections by w-hich said conductors are revolved to advance the supplied material continuously, a graduated source of supply to the receiving end, and classifying chambers into which the discharged material is delivered.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, parallel horizontal connected compartments with spiral revolving carriers turnable therein, a feed mechanism consisting of a fiat bottomed container, an endless chain, one part of which is movable across the container bottom, chain Wheels and a pawl and ratchet mechanism to produce an intermittent movement of the chain, and a receiving hopper discharging into the first compartment.

4. An apparatus of the character described including a series of parallel, horizontal compartments connected alternately `at opposite ends, having the tops and bottoms composed of electric conducting material, and adapted to contain an electrolytic solution, horizontal spiral conveyers turnable in each compartment and gears by which the conveyers are turned to insure a continuous How, a pulpcontainer, an end less chain feeder and means to propel it intermittently, a hopper into which the pulp is received and from which it is delivered the form of pulp between horizontal, superimposed electrodes, said electrodes being arranged in relation to each other so that the electrolytic action will be from one electrode through the mass of pulp to the other electrode.

6. An apparatus for the electrolytic reduction of ores comprising an electrolytic cell having horizontally disposed electrodes, the anode plate being on the bottom and the cathode plate on the top.

An apparatus for the electrolytic reduction of ores, comprising an electrolytic cell having long superimposed and horizontally extending electrodes arranged with the one electrode directly above the other a-nd in spaced relation thereto, and means for advancing ore in the form of pulp between said electrodes.

8. An apparatus for the electrolytic reduction of ores comprising an electrolytic cell having long horizontally disposed electrodes arranged comparatively close together, means for advancing the ore in the form of a pulp through the cell and keeping it in agitation, said means comprising a plurality of screw -conveyers acting in series to pass the material back and forth across the cell a plurality of times.

9. An apparatus for the electrolytic reduction of ores, comprising a horizontally disposed electrolytic cell, the top and bottom walls of which form the electrodes, said electrodes being arranged with the anode forming the top -wall and the cathode the lower wall, and means for continuously feeding ore through said cell and between trodes. l

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CARL ooRLL.

CHAs. MURCELLY.

said elec- 

